Kaseys Korner

wildlife in the garden

I was thinking (rather mistakenly) that the garden was in a lull.

Oh there are a few things blooming, like Monarda 'Coral Reef:'

A stunning, almost inflorescent pink Bee Balm, much loved by bumblebees.

But, as I touched on in the Western Kingbird post, the garden is so much more than the blooms it flaunts. 

There is bird life.  Above:  Male Bullock's Oriole on sugar water feeder.

the fluttering of butterflies (Western Tiger Swallowtail on Lantana)

Quick and agile Amphibians, like the baby toad pictured above.  This year the garden has been inundated by toads. More specifically, baby toads.

They are everywhere ~ even in the window wells (like the four pictured above.)  It's impossible to tell scale from my photos but these toads are all only dime or nickel size!! 

Their population explosion has attracted another visitor:

 

A Western Hognose Snake! 

Excuse the bad photo, I was lucky to get it at all.  Apparently they feed predominantly on amphibians!  A virtual smorgasbord awaits in my garden....  But hold up.  Let's backtrack. 

Before photographing the snake, I had noticed the smallest baby bunny I'd ever seen, quivering near the house:

He barely seemed able to move around.  I wondered if he was too small to be out of the nest; which I believed to be under the overhang of my dining room bay window. 

Exactly the spot the snake's head is emerging from!!!!! 

Look closely at the photo above & notice the top of the bunnies head at the very bottom of the photo with the hognose snake about a foot above.  I don't know what happened to this baby bunny.  He was gone in the morning & I haven't seen the snake since either.  I have a theory the snake could still be digesting a whole nest of bunnies...

On a happier note, the garden is again home to hummingbirds!

We wait all year for the two short months they liven up the landscape in and around our garden.

Photo below is of note because it shows the small spot of orange on the juvenile hummingbirds throat:

Over the next year, this spot will spread until it covers his whole throat in a blaze of color.

A fiery sight to behold.

I strung garden lights this year mostly for their benefit:

They love to perch, preen, view & defend their territory from the suspended strings.

Oh no, the garden is definitely NOT in a "lull." 

Far from it....

Dahlia 'Giggles'

late season bloomer.

An impulse purchase ~ triggered by the uncertainty of "dusky orange & pale pink" working well together?

Now it's clear, they actually do....

In other garden happenings ~ the lights from the party fell down and are already being missed:

A good vantage point was lost...

A long awaited bloom (four+ years in the making) has finally appeared on Paph Orchid 'Jurgen Roth:'

ordered from Carter and Holmes Orchids. 

Placed outdoors in early June ~ a last ditch effort to stimulate something.   The change of scenery worked....

The excitement is two-fold since (as you can see) multiple blooms are in the offing.  Maybe it was worth the wait??

New visitors have arrived (Black Swallowtail on Verbena bonariensis:)

and others are about to leave (baby Barn Swallow out of the nest:)

Ready or not, time is marching on in the garden....

 

Buddleia 'Orange Sceptre'

I haven't had a lot of time for the garden (or blog) lately, I've been too busy socializing!  Last night our book club held a book exchange along with a pot luck ~ great way to get new books & find homes for old ones.  Next up is a Dove Chocolate Party (does a white chocolate mango mojito sound appealing to anyone??!!!) It sure does to me!

I did manage to squeeze in a greenhouse trip two days ago tho.  There was a sale for pete's sake!!  You have to know what came of that!!!  Yessirree, another weak moment.... 

I don't think you'll blame me ~ it was over an orange butterfly bush!!!

I don't know about you but this color (in a Buddleia) is NEWS to me!

Shockingly vibrant.

I "had" to have it ~ afterall orange is the color of the year, right?!!!

The best reason, if any reason is needed, to buy a Buddleia (orange or not) is this one:

Photo taken the next day ~ that didn't take long!!

Mission accomplished ~ worth every single dollar & penny!

catching up

I certainly left you all "high & dry" didn't I?!  Yikes ~ my apologies.  Somehow it still hasn't slowed down then my Mom came for a visit.  I had good intentions of posting before she arrived but as you know, that never happened.  Temperatures were in the upper 80's for most of her visit so we were able to be in the garden a LOT (hardly having to pretend it was summer.)  She was excited to see the changes in my back garden especially since I hadn't even started those when she visited this spring.  On one of the afternoons during her visit, I spied what I thought was a newly emerged Monarch butterfly.  I flew into the house to grab my camera but by the time I got back, the butterfly had totally disappeared.  I began to wonder/doubt if it really was "new" but then today, look what I discovered a few feet below where the butterfly had been drying:

The empty chrysalis!!!!  I can't believe I found it after the fact ~ I had searched & searched all around the milkweed in that bed when the caterpillars first disappeared.   Then today, there it was ~ attached to the underside of the urn that sits in front of the birdhouse tuteur.  Arggg.  Next year, I'm going to have to search a LOT better as I would really love to follow the whole process.

One butterfly I didn't miss photographing was this Western Tiger Swallowtail sipping on Verbena bonariensis just today:

Since I last posted, I've also had another Amaryllis bloom.  'Aphrodite' was purchased on clearance after Christmas last year but didn't bloom then:

SO pretty but I have to admit, it seems more than a little strange to see an Amaryllis in bloom during "pumpkin" season. 

Big & little orange globes have been scattered about the garden & I particularly like this one mixed with Fuchsia 'Autumnale:'

The foliage of 'Autumnale' is so impressive ~ it 'almost' makes the blooms inconsequential:

Don't you agree???  Anyone else growing this one?

My Mom & I also got into some dangerous shopping in the fairy garden section of one local greenhouse.  Oh my.  Look at two new additions that made the trip home with us:

I think I'm hopelessly addicted!  And definitely excited to bring it all to life next spring.  I want to go back for the blue crystals & place them under the bridge to create a pond.  This is exactly the reason I never jumped into the fairy garden arena before ~ thanks again Dora!!!

Other blooms in the garden right now are Buddleia 'Honeycomb:'

Anemones:

'Sweet Autumn' Clematis:

and finally, buds on the Brugmansia.

I'm not sure why this plant waits until almost frost to produce blooms??  I hope a few make it to flower since it will soon be time to start hauling it (& all the other tender plants) to the basement.  I can't believe how fast summer flies by each year.  I also know I can't be the only one who wonders where September went??   It's gone so fast, I'm already counting down the days until next garden season!!

 

 

Black Swallowtail

Do you see what I see?? 

No, wait.  Totally premature question.   Please excuse me.  I'm just STILL so beyond excited by what I "think" I witnessed, my thoughts are a jumbled mess & I've gotten WAY ahead of myself!

Bear with me while I work (in the proper order) at getting to the exciting part ~ which, amazingly enough, aren't these photos I was originally extremely thrilled to score. 

Thrilled because I've only been lucky enough to see a Black Swallowtail in my garden one other time.

After leisurely sipping nectar from 'Peacock' Buddleia davidii, this tattered beauty headed straight for the bronze fennel:

That's where the intro question comes from (and what has me all aflutter):

I think I witnessed/captured the Swallowtail laying eggs????  Do you think so too???  I can hardly stand it ~ first the Monarch caterpillars and now possibly future Swallowtails??  oh, say you think it's so too!!!!!  That would make for an amazing year in the garden....

Monarch cats in "da garden"

Woo hoo.  The back garden redesign is starting to pay off!  I had butterflies, bees & birds in mind when I started the makeover this spring and today a big sign it's working:

A Monarch caterpillar on "Princess" ~ the pink swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) planted in the new oval bed.  It's the first time I've EVER had Monarch caterpillars.  I've read about them being in your gardens and now, what a thrill to find them in my own!

It really IS true "if you plant it, they will come."  The caterpillar above is on "Ice Ballet" ~ a white swamp milkweed.  I only see two "cats" for now (one on each plant) but we'll see what happens.  The blooms of both milkweed are long over but there are plenty of seed pods & green leaves left.  I'm hoping both plants will spread around the garden and I have multitudes of caterpillars from this year forward.

Now I guess I'll start worrying about them being parasitized by the tachinid flies that also inhabit the garden.  It's already crossed my mind to collect them and keep them protected but I wonder if that's the right thing???   How much interference is appropriate?  I struggle with that one...

 

what's a gardener to do

when temperatures hover around 100 day after day after day?? 

There is work to be done but only if the "gardener" is not adverse to major perspiration. 

The seating areas are appealing but the most pleasant time to enjoy them are early in the morning:

and late in the evening:

The sun won't be scalding then but those are prime times for the bumper crop of mosquitoes inhabiting the garden this year.  It's almost impossible to win.

Sometimes the best bet is to observe the garden from indoors and run out like a mad woman when something flits by to photograph ~ like this butterfly:

I think it's a Fritillary but I couldn't positively identify which one?  The best side view I was able to capture is the one below:

Perhaps there will be other opportunities as it seemed to be really interested in Clematis texensis 'Duchess of Albany:'

It's one of two "texensis" varieties grown here.  The other, 'gravetye beauty,' you've seen many times:

I had butterflies on the brain this spring when I planted two new Asclepias Incarnata but I have yet to see any light upon them ~ there's 'Princess:'

and 'Ice Ballet:'

It's too early to give up tho ~ I usually see the most butterflies in August and we are (too) quickly approaching that month. 

Something else occupying (worrying) me during this heat wave is an injured Robin:

He's been hanging around the garden for over a week now trying to recover from what looks like a narrow predator escape.  His left leg has to be broken (I never see him put it down), he's missing feathers including most of the tail ones (which you can tell better in the photo below:)

I'm also uncertain about his left wing (whether it's broken or not.)  I know the odds are stacked against his survival but I'm pulling for him.  I've done an online search for a rehabilitation place in my area but can't locate one ~ what would you do??? 

 

 

echinaceas by daybreak

There's something magical about traipsing thru the garden at dawn. 

Ordinary perennials take on an ethereal look, refreshed from the cooling balm of night. 

The enchantment perseveres into daybreak and the first rays of sun.

It doesn't take long tho (on a mid-July morning) for those early rays to gain strength, sending all but the hardiest souls scurrying for shade.

Near triple digits have that effect. 

Choose to linger in the sun for just a bit longer tho and a reward is at hand.

It makes the early riser happy to have rolled out of bed.

and starts another summer day off on a high note....

 

 

delphinium spires

I sure feel like my posting this summer is not keeping pace with the garden.  Whether it shows or not, I honestly HAVE been using my camera (almost) every single day but just don't go the extra step of uploading & blogging.  Today I thought I'd pick a handful of recent images in an attempt to bring you abreast of current happenings. 

As the post title indicates, delphiniums are the latest perennial to bloom.  They are planted in the same protected area as the foxgloves:

Towering giants, wouldn't you say ~ much taller than in summers past ~ I'm guessing almost six foot??  As a precaution (against the wind we've been receiving all too frequently) I've staked the tallest stalks.  Hopefully they can retain their impressive stature for a longer period of time that way... 

I am a little worried about my pink specimen since it hasn't made an appearance yet?  I hope it's not lost....  For now there is only the white with green bee (eye):

and the gorgeous pale lavender plant:

I'm not giving up tho. 

Something else beginning to come on strong are the Monardas. 

I thought I had only planted 'Blue Stocking' and 'Jacob Cline' in this new back bed, imagine what a nice surprise to find pink mingled in!

It must have been a tag mix-up at the nursery but now that it's here, I'm happy.  The Monardas generally begin blooming about the time hummingbirds show up.  That works out pretty much perfectly, doesn't it?   I would say we are right on schedule too, despite a cooler than usual spring.  I wouldn't be surprised to see one anyday.

Something new to my garden ~ or at least I haven't ever observed them before ~ is a Mourning Cloak Butterfly:

I happened to notice him while doing some late planting.  Lucky for me, he stayed put while I ran and got the camera!  I think I would have walked on by if his wings were closed ~ he's fairly "non-descript" in that position but once they flutter open, those iridescent blue spots are very eye-catching. 

I had just sprayed the new plantings so I think he was sipping up moisture drops from the fallen rose petal (that light colored blob in front of him)?  Now that I know he's here,  I hope I will spot him again in the garden.

I've selected Penstemon 'whippleanus' for the last image in this post:

Isn't that a gorgeous tubular bloom?  This penstemon is unique in that it's quite tolerant of shade, not their normal "M.O."  My clump has been growing (and spreading) nicely for several years now receiving only morning sun.  It's a good option if your garden has limited full sun but you still want to grow these beauties.

Now I better get scooting.  I hope your garden is growing well and not as infested with mosquito's as mine.  We are having the biggest outbreak in years due to a very wet May followed by warm weather in June.  ugh.  Where are the bats??!!!

 

fall in the garden

Still lots of good stuff going on.  I've been practically floating over our mild weather.  It makes me want to get greedy and keep the above average temperatures rollin'.  I know that can't happen indefinitely ~ I haven't floated that far up in the clouds ~ and the garden knows it too.  The landscape is turning glorious shades of red, yellow, orange and brown:

Photo above shows the southwest corner of my backyard ~ Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago) is the brilliant red shrub in the foreground and of course, the blazing yellow/gold leaves belong to its comrade the Aspen.

Below, a demonstration of "brown" in the front garden bed ~ set off nicely by the antique iron fence:

Monarch butterflies are really on the move now ~ I've seen a number of them this past week ~ all heading south with purpose and haste!  Painted Ladies, unencumbered by the necessity of migration, flit lazily about the garden on bright sunny days:

happily not bothered at all by an "in-your-face" photographer!

Honeybees are taking advantage of the last warm days too ~ like this one laden with pollen from Dahlia 'Rosita:'

Believe it or not, a few of the raspberry canes are still producing berries:

I think this is the latest I've ever been able to pick them?

I'm also enjoying the Virginia creeper vine I started up the chicken wire fence this summer:

The red foliage is a nice addition to an otherwise non-descript fence.

Finally, if all my other senses failed me, I'd know it was Fall by the flats of Apples (from the Western Slope) my neighbor has for sale.   She so thoughtfully brought me this 'Fuji' assortment yesterday:

They almost look too good to eat, don't they?!!